McCool: Marino is not a racist, but still a fool

Monroe County Commissioner Suzanne McCool said passion, not hatred, fueled accusations of racism and treason she leveled against a Pennsylvania congressman.

HOWARD FRANK

Monroe County Commissioner Suzanne McCool said passion, not hatred, fueled accusations of racism and treason she leveled against a Pennsylvania congressman.

In an Oct. 23 letter to U.S. Rep. Tom Marino, McCool wrote: "In my opinion you should be fired or impeached or whatever could remove you from office for not performing your job adequately. You may be guilty of treason since you have tried to destroy our American system of government."

She said Marino's opposition to a budget deal was a vote to shut down the federal government, which she called unconscionable, dangerous and foolish.

McCool said the letter was dated right after the country almost defaulted on its loan obligations because of a stalemate in Congress on expanding the debt limit.

"I wrote it in the heat of passion when we were getting closer day by day to a government shutdown," she said Wednesday. "I was really concerned that the world's economy would be affected. We are just coming out of the recession. I have nothing against the people who are clear thinking and willing to collaborate."

McCool said she was very supportive of the people in the center in the Republican Party and didn't mean to offend anyone.

"I apologize for using the phraseology I used," she said. "I feel a few representatives acted in a racist manner sometimes. I should have said people were acting as if they were racist, not that they are. So I apologize for the language I used. The letter said it was my opinion. I don't apologize for working on this issue. I think in the long run, the only way we can solve this issue is to get people involved."

Marino, a Republican, represents the 10th District, which includes parts of Monroe and all of Pike and Wayne counties.

"Let's stop these ridiculous comments," Bayer said. "You're a savvy politician. Please don't do it again, especially in public, in the paper."

McCool said she had reimbursed the county for the letter she had written, which was typed by a county secretary and sent out on county letterhead.

"I really think they brought us to the brink," she said of lawmakers who opposed a budget agreement leading to a federal government shutdown. "I really want the Republicans who respected Abraham Lincoln, Teddy Roosevelt, Dwight Eisenhower, Ronald Reagan, to take their party back so we can have a healthy two-party system again."

McCool plans to devote herself to electing women to office once her current term expires in two years.

And she's not going out quietly.

"The people in this country have a lot of common sense, but some of these extremists are representing their own agenda," she said. "So I plan to make a lot of noise. I will choose my words carefully. We shouldn't be afraid to voice our opinions."